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NEW YORK – The BIG EAST Conference has announced the launch of BIG EAST University, a new virtual educational series designed to enhance the student-athlete experience with career and professional development programming.
In partnership with the BIG EAST Career Consortium, the Conference will host a series of webinars during the 2020-21 academic year that will teach skills needed to secure professional internships, land a first job, or identify a career path most suited to an individual’s strengths and interests. The 2020 fall semester series, which begins in October, will conclude with a virtual Career Discovery Day that will allow student-athletes to participate in panel discussions and learn from industry experts in a variety of fields.
“We are very excited to offer this programming to complement the academic curricula of our schools and begin preparing our student-athletes for life after their playing days are over,” said BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman. “Our schools have active career placement offices and ties to prominent alums and experts across many industry sectors, and this series will provide tips on how to jump-start job searches and facilitate access to several dynamic career pathways.”
BIG EAST University is an extension of two existing annual student-athlete development programs currently conducted by the Conference: Freshmen Fundamentals, which assists freshmen men’s basketball student-athletes in the transition from high school to college and the rigors of competition in the BIG EAST; and Transition Game, which assists junior and senior women’s basketball student-athletes in the transition from college to emerging professional, on and off the court.
For BIG EAST University, BIG EAST Career Consortium will assist the Conference in identifying and recruiting high-profile professionals, university professors, staff and alumni to engage with BIG EAST student-athletes during each of the online sessions. The Career Consortium annually sponsors a career networking event for BIG EAST students during the BIG EAST men’s basketball tournament at Madison Square Garden.
“BIG EAST University will provide our student athletes with access to an exciting array of industry professionals while honing their career readiness skills. Our Career Consortium colleagues, representing all BIG EAST schools, are fully available for our students during these extraordinary times, and we look forward to our ongoing collaboration with the Conference as we strive to ensure student success,” said Paulette Gonzalez, BIG EAST Career Consortium Chairperson and Executive Director of University Career Services, St. John’s University.
BIG EAST University will provide two programming tracks: first, a Professional Development track that will focus on finding a job and identifying and enhancing skills that can assist student-athletes in differentiating themselves in the current job market. The track topics, which were voted on by the BIG EAST Student Athlete Advisory Board, include: The Power of Networking; Transferable Skills: How Being a Student-Athlete Can Help Enhance a Resume; Financial Literacy; and Keys to Landing Your First Job.
At the conclusion of the Professional Development track, the Conference will also offer a Career Discovery Week that will allow student-athletes to engage with panels of top industry experts in various professional fields. The 2020-21 career track will include Sports Business; Music and Entertainment; Broadcast Production; and Activism and Advocacy. Student-athletes who attend all educational sessions will receive a Certificate of Completion at the end of the semester.
Visit www.
bigeast.com/bigeastu for registration info.